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The UFC’s fighters are amongst the fittest athletes on the planet. Naturally, when they’re given the chance to display their ripped physiques at weigh-ins, few of them turn the opportunity down.
While most of the UFC’s stars are in unbelievable condition, every now and then, fans of the promotion are left stunned when a fighter appears to be out of shape at a weigh-in.
Naturally, some of the UFC’s greatest fighters don’t necessarily sport washboard abs – Roy Nelson, for example – but when a once-ripped fighter shows up in seemingly bad shape, it’s truly alarming.
With this in mind, here are five UFC fighters who appeared to be painfully out of shape at a weigh-in.
#5. Johny Hendricks – UFC Fight Night 112
Over the course of his eight-year UFC career, Johny Hendricks became known as one of the best welterweights on the planet.
‘Bigg Rigg’ defeated fighters like Carlos Condit, Josh Koscheck and Martin Kampmann. He even claimed the UFC welterweight title when he defeated Robbie Lawler in 2014.
While Hendricks was never ripped to shreds like some of his rivals, the former NCAA Division I wrestling champion was certainly not in bad shape for the majority of his career either. He usually sported a stocky but powerful physique, which fit his power-punching style well.
However, in the later years of his career, Hendricks began to struggle to make the 170lbs welterweight limit. He missed the mark on two occasions and was also forced out of a planned bout with Tyron Woodley due to weight cutting issues.
It came as no surprise, then, when he decided to move up to 185lbs in early 2017. After defeating Hector Lombard in his middleweight debut, though, he left fans stunned when he missed the 185lbs divisional limit for his next bout with Tim Boetsch.
This didn’t look like a botched weight cut, either – ‘Bigg Rigg’ simply looked out of shape. He certainly didn’t appear to be in the right condition to fight a tough opponent like ‘The Barbarian’.
Sure enough, when it came to fight time, Hendricks didn’t look like his usual self at all. He succumbed to a second round TKO in what was one of the worst showings of his career.
#4. Frank Mir – UFC 61
Widely recognized as one of the best heavyweight fighters of his generation, Frank Mir captured both the UFC heavyweight title and the interim heavyweight title during his time with the promotion. He also defeated top stars like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Brock Lesnar and Mirko Cro Cop.
Mir was also renowned for regularly changing his physical shape. He trimmed down and looked shredded in 2009 order to increase his cardio. He then bulked up and added an insane amount of muscle to his frame just a year or so later.
However, in 2006, when he first returned from a severe leg injury sustained in a motorcycle accident, Mir was far from being in the best shape of his career. In fact, after suffering a TKO defeat to Marcio Cruz in his big return fight, he looked to be in downright awful physical shape for his fight with Dan Christison at UFC 61.
Mir emerged at the weigh-in sporting a visible gut. If this suggested he wasn’t in the best condition, those fears were confirmed in the fight. Despite picking up a win via decision, many fans felt the result should’ve gone the other way – and Mir clearly gassed out early in the bout.
After such a terrible showing, many UFC fans assumed Mir’s time at the top of the heavyweight division was done. This made his eventual resurgence a couple of years later both stunning and welcome.
#3. Gian Villante – UFC Vegas 4
Plenty of UFC fighters decide to move up in weight in order to look for more success. Many of them choose to do so in order to avoid energy-sapping weight cuts.
Most UFC fighters choosing this path simply continue to train as normal, but avoid their usual weight-cutting techniques. Fighters competing in the heavier weight classes often hit the weight room in order to gain muscle.
Alistair Overeem, for example, bulked up to monstrous proportions when he moved to heavyweight, while Brandon Vera did the same in the twilight of his UFC career.
Gian Villante, however, appeared to have gone down a different path for his move to the heavyweight division in 2020.
Once a ripped 205lber, the New Yorker moved to the heavyweight division to face Maurice Greene. When he emerged at the weigh-in, though, it became clear that rather than hit the weights, Villante had apparently been eating whatever he’d wanted.
He came into the fight weighing 255lbs – a full 50lbs heavier than his previous weight – and did not look to be in the best condition at all.
His subsequent loss to Greene therefore came as no surprise. While he trimmed down to 243lbs for his next bout, it’s fair to argue that he was probably better off at 205lbs.
#2. Nick Diaz – UFC 266
Okay, so it’s safe to say that, by the standards of your average human being, Nick Diaz was in absolutely phenomenal shape coming into his recent comeback at UFC 266.
However, by his own lofty standards, Diaz simply didn’t look quite himself for his big rematch with Robbie Lawler.
The native of Stockton, California was once renowned for his incredible cardio. He would regularly compete in triathlons during the periods between his visits to the octagon. Unsurprisingly, his physique backed this up as, at most UFC weigh-ins, he didn’t appear to have an ounce of bodyfat on him.
That changed going into UFC 266. Rumors of Diaz’s partying lifestyle had been flying around the internet for a long time before his comeback. When the UFC released a video of him shadowboxing, longtime fans were immediately alarmed.
Diaz didn’t look anywhere near as chiseled as he once did. While he certainly wasn’t sporting a “dad-bod”, it didn’t bode well for his hopes in the octagon.
Sure enough, Diaz fans’ worst fears were confirmed when he requested his fight with Lawler be changed from a welterweight bout to a middleweight one. He then showed up to the UFC 266 weigh-in looking nowhere near as ripped as usual.
Rumors of a pre-fight injury seemed to gain credence. When Diaz failed to really impress in the fight – going down in the third round via TKO – they seemed even more likely.
Whether or not he really was injured remains unknown, but it was clear from his shape at the weigh-in that something wasn’t quite right.
#1. Ben Askren – Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren
Sure, Ben Askren’s fight with Jake Paul didn’t take place in the UFC – in fact, it was a boxing match rather than an MMA fight. However, ‘Funky’ still deserves a spot on a list like this, purely because the shape that the former UFC welterweight contender showed up in was so alarming.
Despite being a former Olympian and one of the most decorated wrestlers in MMA history, Askren never really boasted an intimidating physique like some of the other fighters in the sport.
Quite simply, he didn’t really need to be heavily muscled – his wrestling skill often allowed him to easily take down and embarrass opponents who, to the untrained eye, would’ve been expected to destroy him.
By the time ‘Funky’ moved to the UFC, though, he was coming towards the end of his athletic prime. He failed to show his best in the octagon, losing two of his three bouts there, and retired in late 2019 following a defeat to Demian Maia.
In early 2021, though, it was announced that Askren would be making his return to competition – not in the UFC, but in a boxing match against YouTube superstar Jake Paul.
Many fans actually picked Askren to win the bout, despite the fact that he’d never really looked like a great striker during his MMA career. The argument went that Askren, unlike Paul, had at least fought in bouts with genuine opponents.
When the weigh-ins for the fight took place, however, it immediately became clear that ‘Funky’ wasn’t in the shape to really fight anyone.
Sporting a gut and love handles, Askren looked like he hadn’t been training hard at all – which was probably the case given that he’d had serious hip surgery in mid-2020.
At any rate, the fight went just as badly for Askren as the weigh-in suggested it would, as Paul knocked him out in the first round. Despite this, ‘Funky’ was reportedly paid handsomely for his efforts – making showing up in bad shape worth it in the end.
